Tremors
by fever fighter
Summary: She was suffering from a love lost and he had never really loved at all. Genma/Sakura.
1. The Beginning

**I can't find it in me to finish The Art of Persuasion. It wasn't really intended to be a multi-chapter story, anyway. Maybe this summer I'll be able to find the inspiration I need. Buuut, as a gift I give you this! An angst-filled, smells like death multi-chapter (maybe) Genma/Sakura and ??/Sakura story. The second pairing will be revealed all in good time, but feel free to tell me whom you think it is. Read and Review s'il vous plaît! Love, K-chan. :)**

* * *

It had been a year since a certain sharingan user's body was discovered outside of Konoha. Needless to say, his death shook the village, particularly, a certain pink-haired medic-nin. Her behaviour was contrary to what most people thought would happen. For example, they thought Sakura would be listless, lethargic, and more prone to delirious bouts. She'd probably cry quite a bit, too.

Yamanaka Ino knocked viciously at her partner-in-crime's apartment door.

"Forehead! Let's go get some drinks! And men!" She barked, already stepping away from sobriety.

This was what it had been like nearly every night. Ino and Sakura became even closer, spending each and every moment together. They'd party, they'd drink, they'd sleep around. Sakura's sudden change in lifestyle became a widely discussed topic. Tsunade ignored it at first, believing it to be a temporary sign of grief but as months went by, the Hokage became very worried about her apprentice. Her preachings were more motherly and demanding than she would have liked, though. Sakura ended up missing work and coming in late, completely ignoring the Godaime.

Sakura and Ino giggled the whole way to the bar. When they entered, several (male) eyes made silent approvals of their appearance. They made a b-line to the bar, instantly ordering the drinks that would get them drunker sooner. A few empty glasses later, they were cackling drunkly and falling all over the place. Ino found a man she thought suitable for tonight's entertainment and left her friend at the bar.

"Hey, Sakura?" A handsome hazel-eyed shinobi placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Aah Genma-kun!" She squeaked, turning around and tumbling into his chest.

"Kami, I've never seen you so plastered before. I'm sort of worried." He chuckled, awkwardly.

"Oh my gosh, not you too! I'm so si-" She paused to hiccup. "-ck of people saying that to me. There's nothing wrong with me. I just wanna have some fuuuuun!" She smiled that inebriated smile she's been throwing around lately.

"Come on, I'm walking you home." He said, laying down a tip for the bartender who gave him a worn look. He nodded in acknowledgement and picked up the petit kunoichi.

"Ne, Genma-kun! Do you have ulterior motives?" Sakura's drunken voice was really starting to annoy him. He didn't really understand why she was doing this to herself every day of the week.

"Sakura-chan, where is your house?" He asked. She looked up at him, confused. Oh shit.

"Uh, I don't really remember, Genma-kun." Sakura looked away avoiding his irritated gaze.

'I swear, I try to help someone in need and this is what I get!' Genma grumbled to himself.

"Well, I guess you can just spend the night at my house." He said, feigning calm.

"Okie dokie." Sakura said draping her tiny arms over his shoulders, twisting her body around him. They were so close he could feel her whole body heave whenever she took a breathe. Genma was now alerted to an entirely different problem he hadn't even (surprisingly) thought of. How the hell was he supposed to stop himself from sleeping with Sakura?! And then it him. There was obviously only one reason Sakura got so drunk tonight. She expected to be taken home by some man. Thank Kami he got to her first or who knows what could have happened. This girl was really something else.

The walk home went by pretty quickly without hassle. Every once in a while Sakura would blow into his ear or grab his butt, but other than that it went by completely hassle free. He gently switched Sakura onto his left arm, only having to using a small amount of chakra, while fiddling around to find his keys. He never really noticed just how small of a woman she was. Finding the keys, Genma unlocked his door and carried the kunoichi to his room. He plopped her down on the dark blue clad bed and stretched out his arms.

"Do you want coffee or something, Sakura-chan?" He asked, wiping the hair from her eyes. She turned and they locked gazes.

'I want you." He was tempted to take her up on her offer, but something was holding him back.

"No, I can't. Sakura, what happened to you? I know it's not just the alcohol so don't give me that shit." Her lower lip trembled and her eyes began to moisten, he knew that he would have been better off not asking.

"I just don't get why!" Sakura curled into a ball, fully breaking into tears now as her whole body shook. "I-I loved him so much. I would have gladly died in his place. I just want to die!"

"Sakura, it's natural to think that but it wouldn't change anything if you were dead. I can't even count all the people who would miss you if you took your life."

"That's the thing! I'm such a coward I can't even bring myself to take my life!" Genma wrapped his arms around her frail figure in attempt to stop her violent tremors.

"Shhh, shh. It's alright, you couldn't help it. It's okay, it's going to be okay. Shh." He whispered into her ear, nudging her neck with his forehead in order to calm her.

And this was why Genma couldn't bring himself to sleep with her. He was no stranger to the idea of fucking the pain away. About every shinobi goes through a similar grief phase. In a way, they were finally one in the same. That was almost enough for him to tilt back his head and laugh at the irony.

"Genma." She breathed out from under his embrace.

"Yes?" He said, lifting his body off of her, now conscious to the weight he had been putting on her small body.

"Don't leave me! Please!" She clawed at him, bringing him back into a tight hold. "Don't leave me alone, please, not like everyone else. I d-don't want to be alone again."

'Well, this will be my good deed,' He thought, getting into a more comfortable position on the bed, still cradling a now silent pinkette in his arms. 'My gift to humanity.'

* * *

**I really don't see Genma as OOC in this story. Just because he's a womanizer doesn't mean he can't be nice to a friend's student when she needs help. I mean, you'll kinda understand why he's acting especially paternal to her soon. Everyone in Konoha basically (except Ino) acts like Sakura is a fragile doll who will break at any moment.**

Oh and jeez, I always forget disclaimers. Isn't a little obvious I don't own Naruto?


	2. Housewive For a Day

**Mostly banter. Well, I just got back from my parent's house in Portland. I'm moving in this August. :)**  
**  
If you have to try and convince yourself you don't care about someone, you care about them more than you think.**

* * *

"Uhng." Sakura mumbled, her head hurt like hell. She was sprawled across a bed, fully clothed. 'Well there's a change to my usual morning routine.' She thought bitterly.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." Genma smiled, sleepily. He didn't get any sleep the previous night, it was nearly impossible when all he could think about what Sakura.

To say the least, she was _extremely_ startled to see Genma half naked, holding a tray of what smelled like coffee, dark chocolate, and ginger. And _oh my Kami was that aspirin?! _"Gimme that, damn it!" She sprung at the little pills and popped them in her mouth, gulping down the water she was handed. Genma couldn't help but laugh.

"So, you don't remember much from last night?" He asked, with more hope in his voice than he'd like.

"Do you smoke?" Sakura ignored his question.

"No and you shouldn't either, missy." He sat down, drinking his own coffee.

"Too late for the lectures, otou-san. Been there, done that." She said, crossing her legs and sipping at the dark chocolate concoction. Her headache was letting up.

"Oh, so I'm your dad now?" He chuckled. "Good thing I didn't have sex with you!"

Sakura looked up at him, "Wait, you didn't?"

"No. Believe me, you'd feel it." He laughed and she glared at him, a light blush present on her face. "Are you busy today?"

"Why?" Her face twisted in a very cute frown.

"You should come run errands with me."

"Why the hell would I want to do _that?_" She sneered, but wasn't too opposed to the idea.

"Oh, Sakura-chan I'm so lonely! Could you please just grant me with your presence for _one day_?" He smirked. If he could just keep her away from alcohol for a day, he'd be happy. Small steps, small steps. She didn't seem much different from her usual behaviour. Maybe it was more of a 'Just Add Booze' thing?

"Alright, well I have to stop at my place first to change into some clean clothes."

* * *

"Ugh so embarrassing!" Sakura groaned, holding four bags of groceries and walking back towards her companion's home. Genma laughed, carrying his own share of bags.

"What is, my sweet cherry blossom?" He smirked, bobbing the senbon up and down.

She exhaled. "Don't make me kick your ass! You know _damn well. _In fact, I bet you _planned this._" She shifted a bag and blew her bangs in frustration. "Everyone was staring! I can't even imagine the rumours...And OH KAMI, _Anko saw us!_"

"I don't know, I'm thinking 'Did you hear Genma knocked Sakura up and now they're getting married?' is the best bet." He chuckled.

"Asdfghjkl! That's not even funny, dickhead!" She sputtered, smacking him with a bag that made a peculiar cracking noise on impact. "Gah! The eggs..."

"Well, I guess you'll have to find some other ingredients for that delicious dinner you're making me."

"Pfft! In your dreams!"

* * *

"My, my Sakura-chan. You look just _delectable _in that apron!" Genma cooed, admiring his housewife-for-a-day.

"I'm putting botulinum in the tempura." She sneered, whacking at his grabby hands with a spoon.

"If you're going to threaten me at least use a poison I know."

"Oh, that's right. I am _so_ sorry, Genma-_kun._ I forgot about your level of intelligence."

"I hope your cooking is better than your insults."

"Shut up and set the table!" Sakura barked, pushing him out of the kitchenette and into the dining area.

Genma sat down and watched the woman as she cooked. It wasn't hard to see what made it so easy for her to get men, she was gorgeous. Not in the usual cookie cutter way, though. Her bright pink hair was definitely a shocker and her emerald eyes could soften a demon's heart. Her skin was a creamy ivory and her legs seemed to stretch on for miles. His favourite thing about her, though, was her size. Her height is probably around five foot three inches and the shinobi training made her slender and toned. And as sappy as it is, her heart is even more beautiful.

"Thank you." Sakura said sitting down with the food.

He looked up, a little surprised at her words. "What for?"

"For saving me from myself." She smiled slightly. "I would have been abandoned by some guy whose name I probably wouldn't have know, and if I were lucky, a little note would have been left. I would have spent all day with Ino shopping or something and then going to a bar at night. I would have gotten so drunk I couldn't stand and I would have ended up going home with _another _randomman."

"But you didn't." He smiled, picking at his rather delicious meal.

"I know, so thank you." Her smiled widened. "How's the food?"

"It's quite great, actually."

"Oh really?"

"Yep." He sighed from content. "Are you going to spend the night?"

"I never really coined you as a slumber party person."

"Please?" He tried his best pout.

"I'll be back as soon as possible, okay? Do the dishes or something." She stood up from her chair and then she was gone.

When she returned, she had a bag filled with enough clothes for a month.

* * *

He still couldn't find it in him to sleep with her. Still.

Sakura insisted on sharing the bed. _His bed._ "No need for either of us to sleep on the couch."

She also saw it fit to wear the smallest, thinnest pair of shorts to sleep in and decided to forgo wearing a shirt at all.

"Could you stop trying to seduce me? I mean, it's nice and everything, but kind of a nuisance." He joked, poking at her sides.

"_Excuse me?_" She glared at him and turned over on her side, facing away from him.

"Alright, just don't blame me when you're screwed so hard you forget your teen years." He chuckled and turned out the light.

"Go to hell, Genma." She turned around to face him and buried her face in his chest.

"Good night, sunshine."

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**read and review, sugar bears! :D  
**


	3. Coming and Going

**I'm ashamed of how long this took me. R&R. :)**

_**Go listen to 'I Don't Like it Like This' by The Radio Dept.**_

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Sakura's eyes opened reluctantly, it was a bright and beautiful Saturday in Konoha. Emphasis on _bright_, she quickly shut her eyes again. The last thing she wanted to do was get out of her warm bed and venture out into the cold world, but she knew she had to. Sakura dressed warmly and made her way out the door. Konoha winters are scarcely pleasant, so a day like this was rare. It had snowed the night before, leaving a glimmering white blanket upon the village. She trudged her way through the snow towards the pond on the edge of the woods. She heard the crunching of snow behind her. Before she could react, someone grabbed her arms, gluing her in place. The familiar chakra signature sent chills down her spine. _Sasuke._

"My, my. Still so weak, _Sakura_." He said her name like it was a disease. She was stronger now, but she could never forgot Sasuke. She refused to turn and be sucked into those sharingan that haunted her for so long. He chuckled, "What's wrong, don't you love me anymore? Or do you prefer sleeping with every man in Konoha? That's not very cute, Sakura." Sakura gritted her teeth and something like a low growl escaped her throat.

"If you had given up being a kunoichi to become a loyal little wife that would have made more sense. Instead, you're as weak as ever and whoring yourself out. Disgusting." His grip tightened on her arms.

"Stop! I'm not weak. I'm stronger now." Her voice came out as a rough whisper.

"Oh really?" He laughed. "Are you strong enough to survive the chidori?"

"W-what?" Her eyes widened. His grip on her released and time seemed to slow. And then, she felt a crackling warmth form from behind her. Everything was still, then all she could feel was Sasuke tearing and burning through her insides. She tried screaming but couldn't hear her own voice. Her mind went blank, nobody could save her.

Sakura awoke with a start. She was dripping with sweat now, the little clothing she was wearing stuck her body like a second skin. Her hands drifted to her toned stomach, still intact. Her head snapped to the side, tortured green eyes meeting with concerned hazel ones.

"Sakura." Genma pulled her towards him, she was shaking like a frightened child. He whispered assurances in her ear, not sure of what she saw. Whatever it was, it scared the shit out of her.

"I saw him." She said in between shaking breaths. "And and h-he used the c-chidori on me. He ripped out my h-heart." Sakura was crying now, her erratic breathing and trembling showed no signs of letting up.

He stared wide-eyed at her. Why was she having nightmares about her husband? Genma knew she was less than over him, but if she was going to dream about him it wouldn't be about him _killing_ her. He didn't understand any of this.

* * *

Genma was due for a mission that day, but couldn't bear to leave Sakura alone. He knew that the blonde was partly the reason Sakura became a party girl, but she was still the girl's best friend. In a way, he guessed that all the messing around was Yamanaka's way of handling pain which she transferred onto Sakura who was already familiar with drinking thanks to her mentor. Even after Ino's feelings for Sasuke ceased, she was still crushed when she learned of his death. She would be the best bet out of everyone to stay with Sakura. The other blonde's presence would just bring up the memories of their past.

He sighed. Naruto and Sakura who seemed to be inseparable once upon a time, never saw each other any more. Being in the same room or even just seeing one another on the street brought up so much pain for the two. About a month ago, Naruto joined him at the bar. You could see in his eyes and the way his body dragged that his day wasn't exactly the best. It was rare to see the kyuubi so drawn, but a rarity that occurred more and more often since his teammate's death. I offered him my ears and the alcohol loosened his tongue. I kept silent and nodded occasionally, there was no advice in the world that can help a man when he feels like he did. I went through the same thing every time I lost a friend. Me just being there would be enough. Being there was enough, but I didn't have anyone. Not anymore.

When Sakura fell back into a deep sleep, he swiftly got dressed and made his way to the Yamanaka's flower shop. The streets were mostly empty except for the early birds. Genma hadn't realized how early in the morning it was until he went outside to be greeted by a dark blue sky. As he stood on the doorstep he contemplated what to say. 'Sakura's been living with me for the past couple of weeks. Can you baby sit her? I have a mission.' No, too blunt. He knocked twice and shortly after Ino Yamanaka opened the door wearing only a slinky lace slip. Honestly, she might as well be naked. Her eyes widened when she saw me, and then her lips formed into a smirk after catching me looking at her body.

"Genma, to what to I owe this visit?" She tried to use a sultry voice and looked at me in my ANBU uniform. "Did you just get back?"

"No, I'm about to leave. Actually I have a favour to ask of you. Concerning Sakura." I said a little strained. Even at 5 in the morning Ino's trying to get laid.

"What about Sakura?" Her eyebrows rose. She hadn't heard from the pinkette since abandoning her at that bar a couple weeks ago.

"Well, I'm not really sure how to explain it. She's been staying with me for company and she had a nightmare. She's a wreck right now and I can't leave her alone any longer than I have to, especially not now, and I have to leave for a mission that will last a few days and..."

"Whoa, stop rambling!" She cut him off with her hand over his mouth. His panicked concern was surprising to say the least. "Alright, so you want me stay with her?"

"Yes." Genma said calming down.

Ino quickly dressed and made her way over to my apartment. I took a deep breath of relief and left through the main gate.

I would only be gone for three days, then I could see Sakura and her beautiful green eyes.

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**I'm not sure when the next update will be. The story will end either in that chapter or the 5th. I have school tomorrow but I have an idea for a cute epilogue. :)**

_**I WILL FINISH THIS!**_


	4. Homecoming

**Happy Valentine's Day! I love all of you guys who have patiently waited (or not) for me to update and I love all my reviewers and everyone who favourited this and read it!**

**I'm don't own Naruto. It wouldn't be a weekly manga if I did haha.**

**Enjoy :)  
**

--

Sakura was sitting in front of the door, reading a medical book, when I got home. She looked up, assessing me from head to toe. When her eyes met mine, I scooped her up into my arms for a hug that lasted forever.

"Jeez, I know I'm irresistible, but show some restraint!" She laughed. It was like nothing was ever wrong in the first place.

And then I put her down and took a look at her, a real good look. She was every ounce as beautiful as she was when I left her. But now that she had returned to the hospital and talking normally with her friends, she had this beautiful radiance. She looked happy.

"So I leave you and you get happier?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I was thinking." She smiled genuinely.

"Oh? What were you thinking?" I returned her smile, so damn happy to be with her like this.

"_Well, I was thinking_, that maybe we should _date_. Like, for real." She pulled away to search my eyes and I immediately pulled her back to me.

"Kami, Sakura. I'm ready to marry you." I laughed and spun her around in little circles.

"Genma, stop." She giggled.

--

"Genma, stop!" Hana yelled. I looked up, still slightly in a daze. I was about to come head to head with a giant tree. I dodged it awkwardly and mumbled a quick thanks to the Inazuka woman. Our mission hadn't gone quite as successfully as we planned. Our medic did the best he could to patch Hana and I up, but we still had to stop a few days to rest before we could go back to Konoha. My lack of attention was partly due to having the brains knocked out of me and the way Sakura kept popping into my thoughts.

We were in Fire country now and soon we would crossing through the main gate of Konohagakure. We would be home. I would be able to Sakura. I would be able to act on all of the situations that flashed through my mind these past two weeks.

And then I panicked. When did _three days_ turn into _two weeks?!_ I'm sure Sakura was restless with worry for me. Maybe this was a good thing? Or maybe she decided to give up after having time to think. Or perhaps, _perhaps_, she never had any feelings for me at all and two weeks without me was a Godsend. I barely dodged another tree, this time without Hana's warning.

Finally, after years of turmoil in my mind (but only hours in real time), I was standing outside of the gates of Konoha with my team. We waved to the guards and I placed a senbon back into my mouth. Our medic advised that with my current mental condition, having a sharp weapon in my mouth while running wasn't the safest of things. We made our way to the Hokage Tower to complete our mission report and it couldn't have taken any longer if we were tortoises.

I popped into Tsunade-sama's office to see if she knew where I could find her beloved apprentice.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure where she is. It's her day off." Our village's leader took a sip of sake and sighed.

"Alright, thank you Hokage-sama." I turned to leave and she stopped me.

"Genma, with any one else I wouldn't give a damn, but this is Sakura we are talking about. Just don't fuck up or you'll pay dearly." I nodded and she dismissed me with a hand. "Get lost."

I checked my apartment, no sign of the pink-haired medic. I went to her apartment, she wasn't there either. Nor was she at Ino's or her parent's house. I checked every damn place in Konoha and no one had even seen Sakura. I began panicking, I had no idea where she was. On my way to her favourite training fields, I noticed a small dot of pastel pink. Immediately, I ran towards it.

My heart began to race and I could have sworn it would have popped out of my chest. It slowed as I realized that the pink dot was indeed miss Haruno Sakura.

"Sakura!" I called, only meters away from her. When she looked up at me, with red eyes and tear soaked cheeks, my heart nearly stopped beating. Her small hands were clenched into bloody fists, resting on the memorial stone. I took a couple cautious steps toward her and slowly wrapped her into my arms. "You're going to freeze, baby." I murmured softly into her ear as she began breaking into sobs.

"I was so s-scared for y-you. I thought you were leaving m-me, t-t-too." She hiccuped as her emerald gems overflowed. I couldn't promise her I would never leave, because one day I will. I couldn't tell her everything will be fine, because it probably never will. I drew back slightly to look at her face to face. I kissed her briefly on her full lips and gauged her reaction. Her eyes were wide and dazed but her arms clung onto me like I was the new oxygen.

"Sakura, I am in love with you. I have been since, well, I have. You're _all_ I can think about. I know I'll hurt you sometimes, but I'll never mean it. And it will kill me and I love you so much. And," She cut off my frantic rant with another kiss. This one was different from the first. The first was hesitant, experimental. Now, we kissed like we were old lovers reunited. I explored every square centimeter of her mouth and she returned the favour. "Sakura, I've never felt like this...before." I said in between gasps for air.

"Genma. I don't know if my heart can take anymore of _this_." She spit the word like it was the worst thing in the world. I knew where she was coming from. The shinobi lifestyle wasn't keen on romances. She had been hurt, no, devastated once. My long absence only served to reopen wounds that weren't completely healed in the first place. Honestly, if Sakura loved me nearly as much if I loved her, I knew I could make this work. I could sacrifice as much as I needed to in order to never see tears come out of her eyes again. I didn't have to be in ANBU. I didn't have to take on the most dangerous missions. And Sakura, she was a medic. She was in no harm at all. We could start a family. We could be happy. I looked into Sakura's jaded green eyes once more and her expression changed drastically.

We would make this work. We would be happy.

--

**The End.**

--


	5. Epilogue

**epilogue.**

--

Genma was not the bravest shinobi. Nor was he the smartest or strongest. But as he let Sakura leave their house on the night of her and his best friend's anniversary, he sure as hell felt like it.

She was as beautiful as always. Her rosette hair had grown to her waist, but she normally left it in a braid. Her emerald eyes sparkled with the happiness that was so characteristic to Sakura.

He knew she would never be the same. At least once a month, there would be a night where the panic attacks came or she hung on for dear life after they made love. The copycat ninja's death had permanently scarred her but all scars will eventually fade to the point you can hardly see them at all. That is what Genma kept telling himself as she waved and ducked out the door. He waved back and smiled at how her diamond ring had shimmered in the dim light.

She would be coming home late. It was the same each year. She would once again lean down beside that unforgiving memorial for fallen shinobi and mourn her lost love. Each year she came back with freshly healed hands, from where she had hopelessly tried to erase his name. Genma tried imagining what happened every year but he would never go with Sakura to the stone. This one night out of each year she pretended that the ring on her left hand was given to her by Kakashi and that he never died.

In his mind, he saw Sakura kneeled gracefully beside the memorial, eyes closed in deep thought of the good ol' days. Then like magic, Kakashi would appear from the woods and kneel beside her. He would kiss her and wrap her petit body in his.

And once a year, Sakura would be happy. But not because of Genma, which hurt him more than anything else could.

--


End file.
